"Born Again"

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Nicodemus by night
John 3:1  Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ( he is a very well educated and capable person)
John 3:2  He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him."
He made this address by night. Why would he do this at night?
[1.] As an act of prudence and discretion. Christ was engaged all day in public work, and he would not interrupt him then, nor expect his attendance then, but observed Christ's hour, and waited on him when he was at leisure. And for his own well being. Also, meeting after the light of day means Jesus and he could speak more freely without interruption or distraction.
[2.] As an act of zeal and forwardness. Nicodemus was a man of business, and could not spare time all day to make Christ a visit, and therefore he would rather take time from the diversions of the evening, so that he could have the uninterrupted quieter time of the moment with Christ, while both are through with the day’s business.
[3]He did not come to talk with Christ about politics and state-affairs but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation.  He calls Christ Rabbi, There are hopes of those who have a respect for Christ, and think and speak honorably of him. He tells Christ how far he had attained: We know that thou art a teacher
Q.1)Could there be another reason, perhaps why Nicodemus would seek Jesus at night?
Q.2)Nicodemus refers to we, assuming it to be the Pharisees who else might that be?
Q.3)What is it that Nicodemus reveals, that they, the Pharisees, know about Jesus?
Q.4)What signs are there that Nicodemus, and his group of Pharisees, refers to?
Q.5)Are there other signs that Jesus performed that attracted attention to himself?

Nicodemus has questions
John 3:3  Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
John 3:4  "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!"
1Pe 1:3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1Pe 1:21 -23 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 22  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Q.1) Vs 3:3, Jesus’ first mention of a new birth, why did Jesus say this to Nicodemus since
       Nicodemus  had yet to ask a question ?
Q.2) Vs 3:4, Is this a logical question?
Q.3)What are our first impressions of this statement?
Q.4)What is meant by “seeing the Kingdom of God” to which Jesus refers?

                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Jesus has answers                                                                                                                          Pg.2
                                                                                                                                         
John 3:5  Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
Knowledge will not avail us that privilege unless we be born again - Otherwise we can not see, experience, feel, participate in nor enjoy, either the inward or the glorious kingdom of God.  No external profession, no ceremonial ordinances, no privileges of birth, nor any self-righteous acts could entitle us to the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom: There must be an entire change of heart as well as of life, for that purpose, and it could only be wrought in man by the almighty power of God
John 3:6  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
John 3:7  You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
John 3:8  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
The Spirit of God kindles the spirit of man, that by instinct, we begin to act on what we call duty, honor, love, self-sacrifice, and righteousness. The sin nature, which is flesh, takes rise from our first birth; and the new nature, which is spirit, must take rise from a second birth. Nicodemus spoke of being born again of the earthly birth, but man cannot but fail to sin, having been born into sin. He must seek for another birth, a spiritual birth born of the Holy Spirit. We must be born of the Spirit, or we cannot become spiritual.
Q.1)In vs. 5, unless (which implies cannot) but for a change. Is that what Jesus is saying?
Q.2)If we are born again physically, then nothing has changed, why not?
Q.3)Why can we not clean up our own lives to cleanse them from sin?
Q.4)When will we receive this born again condition?

Jesus explains it simply
John 3:9  "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
John 3:10  "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?
John 3:11  Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
Christ's discourse of gospel truths, recommends us to search them out. Jesus Christ is every way able to reveal the will of God to us; for he came down from heaven, and yet is in heaven. We have here a notice of Christ's three distinct natures in one person, he is God the Son, God the father, and God the Holy Spirit. God is the “HE THAT IS,” and heaven is the dwelling-place of his holiness. The knowledge of this must be from above, and can be received by faith alone. That is the “WE” to whom Christ refersThe spiritually reborn, can attest to their experiences and know that they are true and can more readily attest to the truth of the matter.  Yet there are still those who would disagree, having no experience in spiritual matters, they are sold on what they can see, hear, and feel,
Q.1)Nicodemus had difficulty with the concept of being born again, why was that?             Q.2)If Jesus is not speaking about a physical rebirth, then of what birth is he speaking ?
Q.3)How can a spiritual rebirth best be explained in simpler terms ?
Q.4)Matthew 18:3- Jesus said; Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Does this verse help?


 He must be lifted up                                                                                                         Pg3
John 3:12  I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
John 3:13  No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man.
John 3:14  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
And The Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live." (Numbers 21:4-9 RSV)What Happened To The Bronze Serpent? Centuries later, the bronze serpent was destroyed because the Israelites had turned it into an idol, in violation of The Second Commandment:
John 3:15  that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."
John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Each of the above verses carries with it a sermon which Jesus spoke during his sermon on the mount. We will cover that in our study
Jesus continues speaking of his own ministry, criticizing the Pharisees, and describing those things which the people fail to see or understand. He went throughout the area and was becoming very well known. Christ not only prayed and read, but "preached"; and the subject matter of his ministry was, "the Gospel of the kingdom", (see the parables): that is, the good news of the kingdom of the Messiah, wherefore he exhorted them to repent of, and relinquish their former principles. To receive the doctrines, and submit to the ordinances of the Gospel dispensation. He also preached to them the things concerning the kingdom of heaven. As that except a man be born again, he cannot see it; and unless he has a better righteousness than his own, he cannot enter into it: He was also raising the dead, driving out demons, healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people.
Q.1) He spoke in parables, What does Jesus mean in vs.12?
Q.2) What is the meaning of Jesus words in vs13?
Q.3) What is the reference about the serpent in the wilderness?
Q.4) Do we believe that there is another way to gain entrance to Heaven ?
Q.5) What is the implication made by Jesus in verse 14?
                         
                                        10 Characteristics of a Born Again Christian

1) When we pray we do so to “God our father” As Jesus taught.
2) 2 Corinthians 5:17; Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.;
3) Titus 3:5; He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
4) 1 Peter 1:3;Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
5) 1 John 2:29; If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.;
6)  1 John 3:9; No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s  seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God
6) 1 John 4:7; Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.;
7) 1 John 5:1-4; 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.
8) 1 John 5:18;  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him..
9) John 1:12; But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
10) John 1:13; Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

      The phrase "born again" literally means "born from above." Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17;Titus 3:5;1 Peter 1:3;1 John 2:29;3:9;4:7;5:1-4,18).John 1:12,13 indicates that being "born again" also carries the idea of "becoming children of God" through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.
       The question logically comes, "Why does a person need to be born again?" The apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (NKJV). To the Romans he wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sinners are spiritually “dead”; when they receive spiritual life through faith in Christ, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.
         How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).



Opening Prayer
Father God , we pray your blessing on this study tonight. We pray that no word be spoken contrary to your will, and that all here will be subject to your guiding Spirit. Leave each one of us with a proper understanding of a born again Christian. We pray We ask your blessing on all families represented here tonight and bless all those who are in the thoughts and prayers of those who seek thee tonight.  These things we ask in your Jesus name, AMEN

This is the 8th study in our attempt to learn from Jesus’ ministry as he lived and taught it on this earth.  This study gives us some insights as to what is a  “Born Again Christian.
Hopefully it will reveal some of the inherent characteristics of a Born Again Christian.

Closing Prayer
      Heavenly Father, God of our salvation. There is so much about becoming a Christian and being a Christian that we do not know. We pray that through our study of Your word and through our interactions with our Christian Brothers and Sisters that we can become more Like Your Son Jesus in our Christian walk. We know that our wayward condition needs your constant attention so that we may Grow in our Christian faith.  In the Name of Jesus we pray. AMEN

                                                            Meditation

Psa 51:7  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9  Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Eph 2:4 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins But God . . . made us alive together in Christ”     Rom 5:18  Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.
   
Throughout the Scriptures humanity is shown to be in its natural condition spiritually dead. Since the spiritual death of the first man, Adam, every human ever born has been still-born spiritually.
Being born again is nothing less that a complete restoration of spiritual life. All of humanity was separated from God in Eden. Through the cross that separation was bridged. In Adam we have the imputation of sin and death. Through Christ we have the imputation of righteousness and life. We are either found death in Adam or alive in Christ.